<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Assisted Relaxation by duskdelirium</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28254024">Assisted Relaxation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/duskdelirium/pseuds/duskdelirium'>duskdelirium</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M, Tickling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:20:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,428</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28254024</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/duskdelirium/pseuds/duskdelirium</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Caleb can’t shake off the stress of finals week, even when it's over. Molly helps him blow off some steam.<br/>This is a tickle fic, don’t read it if you're not chill with that. This is your final warning.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Assisted Relaxation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was supposed to be sHORT. Also tieflings totally purr don’t @ me.<br/>(cw for references to sex, finals stress)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Molly pretends to read his art magazine while peering over the top to watch his boyfriend, Caleb, tapping away at his laptop as he puts the finishing touches on his alchemical report due in the evening. This is the last assignment he has to complete for this year and the second part of the final for this particular class, the first being his actual spell crafting, with the final version of the spell performed for his instructor. This write-up of his process documents the months-long process of creating a spell from the initial idea through working incantation, complete with details concerning research and necessary components. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s been a long and challenging process which Caleb has lost many a night’s sleep to, and Molly couldn’t be prouder of him, especially considering that this isn’t the only final he’s had to do of this nature. Despite his pride, concern for Caleb’s well-being has bubbled to the surface of Molly’s thoughts over the past week, crunch time for the swathes of over-tired college students. Molly himself had turned in all of his final assignments the previous week as art professors typically make them due before the beginning of finals to give their students enough time for their tests for their other classes. Because of this, Molly had all the time in the world to watch his boyfriend over work himself to complete his assignments and tests. Sleep became a precious and rare resource with cups of coffee laced with merciful caffeine taking its place, time once used to relax and decompress was surrendered to practice spells over and over again and write up the results of each casting, their usual banter was replaced with break-downs of his turn in schedule, and all of it overshadowed with a permeating feeling of dread.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The restlessness from stress and too much work had slowly been coming to a head, as had Molly’s concern, over the past few days as the end of final’s week came to a close. Molly felt powerless to help; he knew that Caleb couldn’t simply blow off his assignments and tests and that finals week was a necessary evil, but he still wished he could do more than follow Caleb from room to room of their shared apartment and quietly sit with him as he worked as a show of solidarity. Even now, Molly struggles to sit still across the room from him and not rip the computer from his lap and insist that he take a nap. Even though he knows it's important to let Caleb work uninterrupted, in the face of his eyes squinting from exhaustion, the deep furrows in his brow from staring at a computer for too long, and the barely noticeable shake of his hands from the days of stress, it's difficult to restrain himself. Really, the only thing holding Molly  back is the knowledge that Caleb's almost done, and that hopefully once he turns in this final assignment the anxiety choking their little home will vanish.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, the tapping of computer keys stops. Molly quickly pulls the magazine back up to conceal his spying, but after a few moments of silence he peaks back over its top to find that Caleb isn’t even looking at him. Instead he just stares at his computer screen with a blank look. Molly puts down his magazine and waits for Caleb to say something, but the silence unsettles him and his tail begins to twitch nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Done?” he ventures when Caleb just continues to stare at his screen. His eyes become more focused, but he still doesn’t look up, and only bobs his head in confirmation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is everything alright?” he asks, his concern growing by the second. Caleb sighs and finally looks away from his computer, dragging his hands, which tremble slightly from anxiety and over-use, down his face. He pulls them away and finally, </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span> looks at Molly with tired eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span> Ja </span>
  </em>
  <span>, I just had hoped I would feel a little more relieved when I had completed my work,” he says as he begins to fidget with his fingers in a restless manner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah. So unlike he’d hoped, instead of vanishing once its source was no longer present, Caleb’s stress and anxiety decided to linger for a bit. At least this was something Molly knew how to help with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly smiles in a way that he hopes is comforting as he walks over to where Caleb is seated on the couch. He plucks the computer from Caleb’s lap and places it on a nearby coffee table as he closes it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just need to relax, darling,” he says as he takes a seat on Caleb’s lap, facing him. He works his fingers through Caleb's hair, hands trailing down to rest on either side of his jaw as he places a gentle kiss on his forehead. Caleb sighs at the touch and begins to relax under Molly’s warm weight, though a stiffness remains to his posture. Molly’s arms cross loosely behind Caleb’s neck as he leans in with a smirk to whisper, “and I know just how to help you to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly pulls back to watch as Caleb’s confusion morphs into understanding, obviously thinking back to how, ahem, </span>
  <em>
    <span>helpful </span>
  </em>
  <span>he was in relieving some of Molly’s own post-finals tension, and a light blush begins to decorate his cheeks. Molly’s smile turns wicked as Caleb begins to stammer, but Molly just shushes him as his hands slowly begin to glide up the sides of Caleb’s pale chest under his shirt, the fabric bunching against his wrists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry darling, I’ll make sure you’re too busy to think about anything else,” Molly purrs, smirk growing as Caleb becomes visibly flustered, just as he always does whenever Molly spontaneously initiates an intimate moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides-” he begins as his hands reach Caleb’s upper ribs and curl slightly. He pulses his fingers, dragging his nails gently against the sensitive skin. Caleb spasms with a choking sound as his widened eyes meet Molly’s, realizing the error in his previous assumption. “All you have to do is laugh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mollymauk, wai--” Caleb begins but is quickly cut off by quiet giggles as Molly’s fingers scratch and scrabble lightly over the delicate skin of his ribs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait? For what? You said you were done, so the way I see it you have plenty of time to unwind,” Molly says, smirking, fingers skittering along his upper ribs, dangerously close to his underarms even as Caleb’s arms clamp to his sides in a futile attempt to protect himself. “And don’t you think I’ve waited long enough already? I haven't seen your smile all week, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Caleb answers none of his questions, but does pitch forward in an attempt to guard his sensitive spots which Molly explores with deadly precision and tortuous delicacy. His forehead lands on Molly’s shoulder and he bubbles his laughter into the space between them. Molly smiles and pulses a series of gentle squeezes into Caleb’s upper ribs to feel him jolt against him with each one and hear the uptick in his laughter. He goes back to the light skittering a moment later, though. While the desperation evident in his laughter with the harder tickles is both delightful and delicious in equal measures, it isn’t what Molly is chasing right now. Plenty of time for that later, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly laughs at how Caleb sags lightly against him in obvious relief when he returns to the lighter tickles, despite the fact that he's still giggling his heart out. Really, his boyfriend couldn’t get any cuter. Molly says as much and is proven wrong when Caleb ducks his head further into Molly’s shoulder to try and hide his flush, but ultimately fails as Molly is still able to watch his ears pinken. As adorable as Caleb is right now with his head pressed into him and his arms uselessly clamped to his sides, giggling like a fool all the while, Molly still can’t see his pretty face or smile, and that just won’t do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about we get a little more comfortable, hmm? To help you relax.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly glides his right hand down Caleb’s side to pinch lightly at the bend of his waist, right above his hip. The effect is instantaneous; Caleb jerks back and twists away from Molly’s fingers, slouching to the left. Molly aids his descent by hooking one of his legs behind Caleb’s knees and pulling them up onto the couch so his ankles are hanging off the armrest and he is more or less laying down with Molly sprawled on top of him, their legs tangled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly takes a moment to reposition himself to be more comfortable. He shimmies down so that his torso lays over Caleb’s hips and props himself up on his elbows so he can easily reach his next targets. Caleb takes the break for what it is and attempts to catch his breath with moderate success and gain control his giggles with significantly less. His hands rest lightly on Molly’s shoulders. Whether he intends for them to keep him away or pull him closer, Molly doesn’t know. Well, only one way to find out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly begins wiggling his fingers, gently but rapidly, over Caleb’s stomach, occasionally dipping one into the sensitive skin of his navel. Caleb jolts, his entire body going rigid, legs straightening over the edge of the couch, before collapsing into high pitched giggles and scrunched smiles. Molly can’t help but to snicker as he continues to explore one of Caleb’s more sensitive spots, relishing in the happy noises pouring out of his boyfriend. Caleb squirms under him futilely, with Molly draped over him he can't do much more than flail his legs over the arm of the couch, which he does whenever Molly hits a particularly bad spot. His hands take turns gripping Molly’s shoulders and weakly pushing them away, confused and unsure of how to best protect the person they are attached to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly makes sure to alternate his techniques to keep Caleb guessing, but never ups the intensity to the point of pushing him into hysterics, barely even seeking out his full laughter and instead aiming to keep him tittering and snickering and giggling; dizzy on silliness and gentle affection. He pinches lightly at his side while swirling a finger inside his belly button, skitters one hand along his pant-line while tracing the underside of his ribcage with the other, pokes rapidly across the soft parts of his abdomen, and gently vibrates clawed hands into the center of his tummy. Remembering Caleb’s legs after a bout of squirming, Molly wraps his tail around his ankle to lazily flick at Caleb’s socked foot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though he only keeps Caleb laughing lightly for the majority of his attack, Molly can tell that he’s starting to run out of steam after a couple of minutes. His squirming has largely subsided and his giggles have started to become breathier, which doesn’t necessarily surprise him; Caleb was practically running on fumes before he even began tickling him. Molly decides it's probably time to wrap things up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly skitters his fingers up Caleb’s ribs, his laughter climbing with Molly’s hands, as he scooches down so that his head is over Caleb’s stomach. He pauses just long enough to catch Caleb’s eye and send him a smirk before sucking in a lungful of air and blowing a raspberry on his tummy while simultaneously drilling his fingers into the tops of his ribs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mollymau-AHahahak!” he squeals as he erupts into cackles, legs drumming on the arm of the couch while pushing at the tiefling’s head with renewed vigor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh darling, I love it when you scream my name. Do it again,” Molly purrs wickedly before inhaling and blowing another raspberry in the same place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Caleb does, in fact, scream his name again, as well as a string of ‘please!’s wrapped in his laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh alright, alright. I suppose you’ve had enough,” Molly dramatically sighs as he backs off. He rubs soothingly over Caleb’s stomach and chest as he continues to giggle dumbly at the aftershocks, laughter increasing when Molly accidentally brushes too lightly over his sensitized skin. Molly just shushes him and applies more pressure, assuring him that he's done tickling him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Caleb’s giggling has mostly died down, Molly pulls down his now crumpled shirt and settles himself over Caleb’s chest, head pillowed on his forearms. His tail is still wrapped securely around Caleb’s calf and ankle, though the tip is no longer playing idly with his toes, even if the thought tempts him. Molly brings one hand up to lazily push Caleb’s hair out of his face and rub against his brow. Caleb hums at the contact and opens his eyes just enough to blink drowsily down at Molly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better?” Molly asks, continuing his petting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmh. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ja </span>
  </em>
  <span>, thank you, </span>
  <em>
    <span>schatz </span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he replies quietly, eyes drifting closed again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Time for a nap then, hm?” Molly smiles, already feeling Caleb’s breaths deepen underneath him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmhm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want to move to the bed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Caleb makes an affirmative noise, but no attempt at getting up. Molly just chuckles and shakes his head and pulls the blanket that normally hangs over the back of their couch, but which had fallen onto the cushions in their tussle, over their legs. He’ll let Caleb sleep for a bit and then move them to their far more comfortable bed. In a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>⧫⧫⧫</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Frumpkin meanders into the room where he senses his master. The sun has just begun to dip behind the horizon, signaling the time when he usually reminds his master or his mate that it is time for his evening meal. There he finds his master snoring lightly with his mate purring, in a very similar fashion to Frumpkin himself, on top of him, both asleep. This is not the typical piece of furniture that they take their nightly rest on, nor the typical hour, but he can sense his master’s exhaustion and decides against waking him. After all, he technically does not require nourishment in the same way that the creatures he is shaped after do, it has simply become something he enjoys after spending so much time on this plane as a familiar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead he pads over to where his master and master’s mate lay, judges the distance, and leaps gracefully onto the mate’s back. The mate does not stir, but does begin to purr ever so slightly louder once Frumpkin settles onto him and matches the sound. Frumpkin yawns lazily  before laying his head on his paws and beginning to doze.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>